Experiences of young people in Ireland with the mental health of youth story (MYSTORY)photovoice study

The Mental Health of Youth Story (MYSTORY) study is a community-university partnership study which involved photovoice and consultation with young people. The MYSTORY study aimed to: (1) better understand adolescents’ perspectives on youth and school mental health and suicide prevention, and (2) communicate insights to schools and the wider community. In this article, we explored adolescents’ experiences of engaging with the MYSTORY study. Reflexive thematic analysis supports the MYSTORY study as a youth-centered study, which involved reflection, discussion and sharing of mental health perspectives and experiences within the study and community contexts. Study engagement was associated with feelings of pride, accomplishment, and connection. This study makes a novel contribution to understanding adolescents’ engagement in photovoice research exploring youth and school mental health, from the perspective of adolescents. Findings are relevant to researchers in wider mental health fields and practitioners interested in mental health promotion and suicide prevention in applied settings.